Questions from a Culinary Student

My name is Ivan and I've come here as a culinary student looking to ask a few questions as part of my study. This looks like a great little community and I would be very thankful to hear your experiences and thoughts. I've been reading a lot of the topics here (a goldmine for someone in my position, haha) and I hope this is the right category to be posting this.

You don't have to answer all the questions, I will find even a couple responses very helpful :D

What is your first memory of cooking?

Other than the final result (and eating it), what do you most enjoy whilst cooking?

What’s the worst mistake you’ve ever made?

Which recipe gives you the most cooking satisfaction?

Are there any kitchen utensils you regret personally buying?

What’s the best / funniest response you’ve had to something you’ve created?

If you had to give three nuggets of advice to someone just starting out, what would they be?

Thanks for your time and I look forward to (hopefully) reading your posts!

What is your first memory of cooking? Baking w/ my Grandmother, cheesy I know but there it is.

Other than the final result (and eating it), what do you most enjoy whilst cooking? Approximately 15 minutes before a dish is finished. it's like running a race and being able to see the finish line. Or smack in the middle of service, when you're 15 tickets deep and getting your *** kicked. Nothing like coming out on top during a really brutal service.

What’s the worst mistake you’ve ever made? Not giving sleep enough credit, I was always one of those "I can sleep when I'm dead" kinda guys. But after pulling an all nighter and cutting off the tip of my thumb in the morning I realised that taking care of your body is extremely important.

Which recipe gives you the most cooking satisfaction? Bread, I'm definitely a culinary guy but my passion has always lied in breads. I bake a different type of bread at least once a week. Last week was Challah

Are there any kitchen utensils you regret personally buying? Low quality Tongs & Rubber Spatulas. In the end splurging for the good ones will actually save you money. instead of melting your spatulas once a month and having tongs that eventually have no spring.

What’s the best / funniest response you’ve had to something you’ve created? Response to a 'Big Mac Pizza', "You combined WHAT, that sounds gross! (5 minutes later) You only made one? Aww" It was supposed to be a joke but it actually went over quite well.

If you had to give three nuggets of advice to someone just starting out, what would they be? 1.) Always have sharp knives and extra spoons 2.) Be passionate, it's better to throw yourself all in and make a mistake than to not try 3.) Eat right and sleep at least 3 hours

Hope these answers helped, if not they should at least be a good chuckle

I'm also a culinary student, but I thought I would answer these questions for you anyway.

What is your first memory of cooking?

- When I was little I used to always cook with my grandmother in the kitchen (seems like the typical answer huh? lol)

Other than the final result (and eating it), what do you most enjoy whilst cooking?

- Like the above post, the final rush to get all of your food items hot and on the plate is the most excited. Plating itself is also really fun, I love presenting the food in a beautiful manner.

What’s the worst mistake you’ve ever made?

- I don't have enough experience to have any major mistakes, but whenever I first started culinary school I had a lot @_@ Tempering soups, frying things, etc.

Which recipe gives you the most cooking satisfaction?

- Any recipe that leaves room for creativity. In a work environment you have to be true to the recipe, but in class or at home you can put your own little touch to anything.

Are there any kitchen utensils you regret personally buying?

- I didn't actually buy it, but my mom bought me one of those weird looking whisks with the balls on the end....totally useless. Stick with the classic design.

What’s the best / funniest response you’ve had to something you’ve created?

- In my Latin Cuisine class my teacher decided to let us have a little fun (he is normally very strict) and told us we could make the guacamole however we wanted. Guacamole is simple to make, but there are tons of different things you could put into it. Anyway, I love using a bit of orange juice in mine and whenever he tasted it he just made this weird face and said "It's different. Good, but not to my personal tastes". His initial reaction was priceless though.

If you had to give three nuggets of advice to someone just starting out, what would they be?

- I'm sort of just starting out myself ^_^;; but from student to student here is some advice

Make sure your uniforms are ironed. Looking sloppy gives off a horrible impression.

DO YOUR HOMEWORK! Also, keeping a journal of your classroom experience is good even if it isn't required for a grade.

My name is Ivan and I've come here as a culinary student looking to ask a few questions as part of my study. This looks like a great little community and I would be very thankful to hear your experiences and thoughts. I've been reading a lot of the topics here (a goldmine for someone in my position, haha) and I hope this is the right category to be posting this.

You don't have to answer all the questions, I will find even a couple responses very helpful :D

What is your first memory of cooking?

Other than the final result (and eating it), what do you most enjoy whilst cooking?

What’s the worst mistake you’ve ever made?

Which recipe gives you the most cooking satisfaction?

Are there any kitchen utensils you regret personally buying?

What’s the best / funniest response you’ve had to something you’ve created?

If you had to give three nuggets of advice to someone just starting out, what would they be?

Thanks for your time and I look forward to (hopefully) reading your posts!

Cheers cheers!

I want to answer also I`m culinary student also and working lunch&a`la carte restaurant now.

What is your first memory of cooking?
I think, that my first memory of cooking is few years ago, when i was 12 years old and mom went to work and i need to make some food for myself and my brothers, so i was making very simple chicken pasta!

Other than the final result (and eating it), what do you most enjoy whilst cooking?
Mostly i enjoy, that feeling what we have in our restaurant whilst we are making food! Good workmates are best what human can get!

What’s the worst mistake you’ve ever made?
Many things i think, just being so less time in kitchen so, not very bad mistakes, but normal "forget" some food in the oven and "ooups"...

Which recipe gives you the most cooking satisfaction?
Meatballs and some good sauce, like cognac cream! AHH!

Are there any kitchen utensils you regret personally buying?
Knife of course and then tweezers.

What’s the best / funniest response you’ve had to something you’ve created?
My Chef one time said to me, when he look what i`m creating "ops, i forgot to tell one thing, but hmmm yes let`s make it again"

If you had to give three nuggets of advice to someone just starting out, what would they be?

Advance everyday your skills! Look around and suck that all information!
Listen! Listen! Listen! If your head chef or anyone who knows what are doing, speak to you, listen!
Love what you are doing!

What is your first memory of cooking?
pancakes at probably 12. Just trying to survive mostly lol

Other than the final result (and eating it), what do you most enjoy whilst cooking?
I love everything from the sound of the sizzles to the smell, and seeing something you've put a lot of time and effort into turning into something that makes people close their eyes and wonder where it has been their whole lives lol

What’s the worst mistake you’ve ever made?
hmmm...like some of the others i'm a student so i guess burning a few things would be my top worst.

Which recipe gives you the most cooking satisfaction?
it's a recipe that actually gives me my confidence back sometimes if i've failed at dishes recently and that would be my alfredo sauce.

Are there any kitchen utensils you regret personally buying?
No

What’s the best / funniest response you’ve had to something you’ve created?
I don't remember any funny responses but i guess my best would be the compliments after trying really really hard.

If you had to give three nuggets of advice to someone just starting out, what would they be?

Take pride in your uniform by making sure it's clean, pressed, and all there.

Know that this will be one of your most difficult jobs and careers you can have

Other than the final result (and eating it), what do you most enjoy whilst cooking?

- theres a lot I enjoy about it but creating different dishes and just playing around with different flavors and seeing how it comes out is probably my favorite.

What’s the worst mistake you’ve ever made?

- spending almost three years of college trying to figure out what I want to do with my life when I've known all along.

Which recipe gives you the most cooking satisfaction?

- something that reminds me of family, something that I learned from my mother and reminds me of when I started getting into cooking

Are there any kitchen utensils you regret personally buying?

- not personally, however I've not into gadgets really I hate a lot of the new contraptions that are supposed to make life easier.

What’s the best / funniest response you’ve had to something you’ve created?

- probably trying to create something for myself for dinner in the kitchen when I first started in the kitchen and watching the head chef laugh at me then taste it and see how surprised he was that it was decent

If you had to give three nuggets of advice to someone just starting out, what would they be?

- listen to any advice you can get. a lot of chefs have huge egos but are very knowledgeable so listen up

- practice. as with anything in life, practice makes perfect

- enjoy. again as with anything in life you have to love what you do, so take the time to enjoy it

Other than the final result (and eating it), what do you most enjoy whilst cooking?

-Finding the recipe and doing the research! I love international and different cuisines; sometimes I'll spend days researching a dish and finding out the real way of doing it.

What’s the worst mistake you’ve ever made?

-Throwing frozen french fries into a hot frier when I was younger. The whole frier bubbled up and fried my mom's kitchen.

Which recipe gives you the most cooking satisfaction?

,-Since I love baking, traditional French pastries are my favorite. I my all time favorite is making tarts.

Are there any kitchen utensils you regret personally buying?

-Now really me, but my mom bought a "dicer" that dices veggies and what not. It is such a pain in the butt, but my mom loves it to death and uses it whenever possible. I like the the old cutting board and chef's knife!

What’s the best / funniest response you’ve had to something you’ve created?

-I was doing a catering event and I was on the dessert station. I made almost all of the Italian desserts, but the apple crostata was made to order. Diners would ask me the name of the dish and I would tell them in a slight Italian accent. They would come back asking more of the "apple crotater", "apple crostini", "apple crusty", and the "apple crostanka".

If you had to give three nuggets of advice to someone just starting out, what would they be?

What is your first memory of cooking?
pancakes at probably 12. Just trying to survive mostly lol

Other than the final result (and eating it), what do you most enjoy whilst cooking?
I love everything from the sound of the sizzles to the smell, and seeing something you've put a lot of time and effort into turning into something that makes people close their eyes and wonder where it has been their whole lives lol

What’s the worst mistake you’ve ever made?
hmmm...like some of the others i'm a student so i guess burning a few things would be my top worst.

Which recipe gives you the most cooking satisfaction?
it's a recipe that actually gives me my confidence back sometimes if i've failed at dishes recently and that would be my alfredo sauce.

Are there any kitchen utensils you regret personally buying?
No

What’s the best / funniest response you’ve had to something you’ve created?
I don't remember any funny responses but i guess my best would be the compliments after trying really really hard.

If you had to give three nuggets of advice to someone just starting out, what would they be?

Take pride in your uniform by making sure it's clean, pressed, and all there.

Know that this will be one of your most difficult jobs and careers you can have

Fried egg sammich. The kind with the toast in the pan w/ the hole in the center. I was four(4)-yo at the time.

Other than the final result (and eating it), what do you most enjoy whilst cooking?

It's kinda funny, but I don't get all so much enjoyment out of what I eat. It's sorta goofy actually. I enjoy when my dishes get wiped out quickly when other dishes are still on the table. I enjoy it when people already have choices but wait for what I serve up instead.

What’s the worst mistake you’ve ever made?

I've burnt the bageebies out of stuff turning it into charcoal. I really hate it when I forget some key ingredient out of a really cool dish.

Which recipe gives you the most cooking satisfaction?

Vegetarian and vegan dishes that get eaten and enjoyed by hard-core carnivores, and they don't know it.

Are there any kitchen utensils you regret personally buying?

Because of people on this forum and one other, the Foodies Forum, I've bought more knives than I need or can afford.

What’s the best / funniest response you’ve had to something you’ve created?

I put together a big bowl of trimmings, including almost everything served, meat and veggies, for a client's dogs. A guest ate the entire bowl after dinner. Later he hired me to do a future party for him asking me to make that "stew" that he ate in the kitchen.

If you had to give three nuggets of advice to someone just starting out, what would they be?

If you're trying a new recipe from a book or such, work it out to spec a couple of times before you tweak it on your own. It's only food. If you screw something up, fix it or make something else. Having a client wait 5-10 minutes longer for something sent out right, is much better than getting sent back wrong to re-fire.

"And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music."

a little 3-4" santoku that was utterly worthless but seemed like a good idea at the time - but my pet peeve is the standard Deli Cup. i hate Deli Cups.

What’s the best / funniest response you’ve had to something you’ve created?

an excellent result on heston blumenthal's snails & porridge, and it really was delicious

If you had to give three nuggets of advice to someone just starting out, what would they be?

1) "self-awareness is the key to your upheaval from mediocrity" (anon), 2) there's is no such thing as "no marketing" - there's only good or bad marketing (where "none" is lowest on the scale 99.9% of the time), 3) "3 kinds of people: those who know; those who know they don't know; those who don't know they don't know" (don't be #3)

My name is Ivan and I've come here as a culinary student looking to ask a few questions as part of my study. This looks like a great little community and I would be very thankful to hear your experiences and thoughts. I've been reading a lot of the topics here (a goldmine for someone in my position, haha) and I hope this is the right category to be posting this.

You don't have to answer all the questions, I will find even a couple responses very helpful :D

What is your first memory of cooking? hmmm staff nights cooking with friends the chefs etc at the house when i was a waitor, and a terribly cooked full beef tenderloin.

Other than the final result (and eating it), what do you most enjoy whilst cooking? I love the interaction for the most part i have worked in open kitchens and love talking to people about the food and just the general experience of having some wine and making some food with friends.

What’s the worst mistake you’ve ever made? I cant count the worst but there have been more than enough, almost loosing fingers, trying to not set the ansil system off god too many but the worst is something you dont learn from.

Which recipe gives you the most cooking satisfaction? One that i conceived and made that came off flawlessly and was well appreciated.

Are there any kitchen utensils you regret personally buying?honestly no. ones i regret others buying yes, ones i regret using yes but i have been lucky enough..... well maybe my first knife a little arrogant but a 10 inch shun chefs knife. i think a 10 inch has no place on a busy packed line, i now own the 8 inch and the big brother or (sword) stays packed away or at home.

What’s the best / funniest response you’ve had to something you’ve created? from an extremely wealthy client i had as a private chef " Fuck .....Fuck.... FUCK FUCK this is good come taste this" fun for a very quiet subtle guy to get worked up over food.

If you had to give three nuggets of advice to someone just starting out, what would they be? keep your knives sharp very sharp , never stop learning and progressing if you ever reach the top or even peek at it there is someone behind you waiting to leapfrog over you into the next spot, enjoy what you do you are part of a blessed group. as a normal person try to get a last minuite table or walk in on a saturday night at the best place in town and fail. as a chef try it and watch the knowing eye of someone else who is and has been in your shoes bump you up the list or kick someone out of line to put you in a vip table even though your fairly broke and just trying for a good day. the hell of it has the perks and its an incredibly small industry world wide.....